More than a year ago, I took out from the pots a few of her orchid plants and wrapped them round a couple of casuarina trees (pokok ru) around our house with some coconut husk to keep the roots covered and damp. Speaking out with authority, I convinced Makcik that plants would grow well in their natural ways. No one goes around the deep jungle watering orchids of all kinds and giving fertilizers. After all that was how I planted those casuarina trees in the grounds of our house. They grew sky high forcing us to have a few shortened down to roof height. My reasoning sounds logical enough I am sure. Believe it or not look at the results of FREE growing.
On casuarina stem
On casuarina stem
Whatever-is-called growing healthy on coconut trunk- old leaves hanging down
One of these days Almanar will offer courses on Natural Growth ( plants, not children)! We will need to call on expertts like Temuk to be our guest lecturers.
Berkhidmat kerana Tuhan untuk kemanusiaan
36 comments:
I don't know anything about orchid plantation, but that "langsuyar" (I call it 'langsuir') plant, I believe, can grow by itself without the need to plant it. I think so lah...
i shall not miss the lecture. roll it out pronto.
Dear Pakcik,
Hmm...the six of us can also contribute to your grow naturally classes.....by providing free fertilizer! It's organic! har har har *evil laughs*,
Dear Pak Cik
It's the greenery that counts. The beautiful orchids that sprout out naturally is a bonus. The word is natural and it's so much fun to have these around the house compounds.
Hank
As an islander where plants grew au natural.. I do not have any skill as far as planting is concerned.. Any plant found in my home is a credit to my better half . I tried to plant three mango trees at different times some quarter of a century ago.. All three did not flower.. Jantan... I did not make any more attempt since ;(
Perhaps, I am just like you who do not have skills in planting anything. But I loves to see 'peculiar-looked' plants that grow by itself or by someone.
Or even an ornamental plants.
I love your garden, Pakcik and Makcik.
And there is great wisdom here.
Pakcik, if I can grow trees like those U've planted 'unskilfully' as you claimed, I will be jumping like monkeys LOL.. U've seen my baby pokok cili post right. Just seeing them tumbuh as babies pun I dah betul2 syok-sendiri hahaa.. My more patient and know-all significant half has taken over the 'mommy' to the cili plants role by transferring the shoots than have now grown taller and seem stronger into polybags he bought for this purpose. I ni phobia. Takut2 kalau I pegang nanti, pokok semua mati :(
Malaysia is so endowed with nature's richness where plant growth is concern. We have fertile soils, plentiful of rain and sunshine, the plant must necessities. Just don't do anything to your house compound and soon you will have it lost to the encroaching jungle like the Sleeping Beauty's castle. Do not interfere and just let the selaput tunggul do their job.
SPD,
Are you telling me that all these years I have been having a 'langsuir' plant right outside my bedroom windows? So the whistling sound of sea breeze through the pines and the splashing sound of waves at midnight have been none other than what I am thinking now? Get me a good bomoh from Dungun, SPD.
You do not visit me for nothing SPD. Thank you.
GUiKP,
You, a globe-trotting visiting professor, enrolling at Almanar?
I am sure current heavy duties are the main cause of your neglect to update your blog. I remember the day we met at Pak Lah Yunan's shop at the book launch of GUIT. For some reasons we talked about blogging and you were one to encourage me, my guru in a way. Your other half talked of you spending your evenings on computers. You preobably still do but for your other more worthy work.
I will keep peeping through in case you decide to give your readers some more insight into your interesting work outside the country. I do not know of another blogger of your profession to manage a blog.
Salaam to you and family.
some visiting professors are over-rated and overpaid (at taxpayers' expense), mind you.
C-f-S,
Over here, in this state of Darul Imam, whatever we use domestically will have to be certified 'Hallal'. So if your offer meets this requirement we are only too happy too accept, not necessarily with open arms!
Hank,
We are truly lucky to be one part of natural environments, surrounded by trees and bushes and the open sea on one side. But this may not last very long as we cannot stop development. While it lasts we are enjoying life. Someday you will call over I hope.
GUiKP,
Do people really care these days whrether they are overpaid or over-rated? They would likely demonstrate for being under-rated or underpaid. We talk about minimum wage, sky is the limit!
Ayah Wang,
Do you really believe that those mango trees were 'jantan'? Forty years ago I planted a Thai mango (ppelam Siam) in KL. After ten years it grew the height of my two storey house without any sign of fruiting. The a Thai personnel was 'cross-posted' to my KL office. I complained bitter to him, being a Siamese, for the useless Thai mango three.
Can you guess what he asked me to do? He recommended that I took a parang and hack the stem, swearing at the plant for being useless. It was all in good fun. I did just that. Lo and behold, the tree started to bear beautiful fruit for years until we had to cut it down.
I was told later that a tree may need to be 'seksa' with axe or cleaver on its stem, giving it a shock. It has something to do with denying the plant excessive 'food' which goes up through its bark (which has been hacked).
I am sure an expert can give a better explaination. Askl around Ayanh Wang. If the trees are still around get to work on them with your 'parang'.
PakMail,
I am not surprised to hear of your shortcoming because you are more at home with the sea, the deep and rough ocean. Anyway, that makes two of us enjoying other people's work in planting.
Ninot,
You are a great gardener yourself apart from being a writer, a poet, an event manager and whatever else you seem to be good at. We do not have a pond and water lilies etc, like yours. Thank you all the same for your compliments.
Mama Tim,
Kita semua kena belajar. Dari lada jarum ke lada besar, lada ball, terong dan seterusnya. Saya ni dah tua sangat barulah nak mula bercocok tanam. Masa muda, bekerja, lari sana lari sini. Keep trying, mama Tim.
Anonymous,
You are right about being over-run by bushes. From time to time I have to force myself to clear the grounds with a lawn-mower over my shoulders. In fact I am quite good at mowing the lawn. May be I can earn some extra income this way!
Dear Pak Cik,
I would, sir,I would, InsyaAllah. I would be basking in the stillness of healthy air and surroundings. It would be fun, keropok lekor and all. Thanks for the standing invite! You would be duly informed prior to the trip!
Hank
My two sen worth to explain why the hacking induces the plant to bearing. Hacking is stressing the plant. Physiologically it induces the plant to react towards ensuring its continuity, survival of the fittest, thus to bearing as that is the way to ensure seed production for the next generation. In plants, lush growth equates to obesity in human. Gila daun they say and no fruits.
I reserve my comment on the swearing. Plants are makhlok Allah too and are are for a purpose, even if for shade. Not counting the volume of oxygen they contribute and carbon dioxide they consume for a cleaner earth. Afterall fruit is just another tangible plant product. Plants too deserve a better treatment than be sweared at.
You certainly have shown us your long-hidden skill in orchid planting! Those dangling bunches of anggerik putih are really fascinating and a clear testimony of your natural talent. So, what you have done to the potted orchid plants more than a year ago, has certainly proved to be worthwhile. And you can speak out with authority now that plants would grow well in their natural ways. Your "FREE growing technique", I think, will be greatly appreciated by people who value "green living" since you have emphasized on letting plants grow their way, with least human intervention. Obviously life will be greener if we don't cause disturbance to the environment with such things as fertilizers or pesticides, or uncontrolled use of water. One of these days, insya-Allah, when Almanar conducts courses on Plant Natural Growth, Temuk will find his way to be a participant, certainly not a guest lecturer. Salam sejahtera.
lovely ochirds! masyaAllah.
Allah takes care of off His creations. :)
Hank,
You are a man of the world, having travelled far and wide. Do not forget to see the world less developed and less visited.
Temuk,
Truly there is nether talent nor skill involved; pure expectation of less effort to maintain the growth. For the same reason we have a number of water taps around our grounds with plastic hose attached to each of them - avoiding extra work of carrying and lisfting water can beyond shoulder height.
I still believe in your knowledge and skill in plants.
Anonymous ( the second )
Your visit is well timed. I am grateful for your explanation on the hacking of stem. " .....lush growth equates to obesity in human .." is a very apt and explicit way of making your point.
I noted you as (the second ) since I am not sure you and the first anonymous are the same person. I welcome your visit, hoping this to be the beginning of your presence.
Madame Blossom,
Indeed He has created all things perrfect except that we fail to appreciate and understand. How are you doing with your Arabic, MB? Can you now sing:
Ya zahratan fi hayati,
Raaituha fi manami. ?
Drop in again MB.
Thank you pakcik. :) For now, I'm still learning slowly by reading the Qur'an and the various translations, referring to the Mawrid, and listening to tafseer lectures by Nouman Ali Khan. Truly the language is rich, masyaAllah.
Perhaps I should be less choosy about the Arabic courses.
Now, off hand, from the phrase you put, I can only understand:
Roses in my life/life?
I see her in xxx
I think... :D betul?
Madam Blossom,
You will know the meaning in due course, I am sure. I am rather curious on a number of subjects related to school education in Singapore. If you are a teacher, or have gone through secondary education in Singapore I would want to seek information from time to time. If you can please email so to almanar@pd.jaring.my . I will then know what to do whenever I have a question to ask. Thank for droppiing by.
Tuan (Al-Manar),
I know it was rude of me to be intruding without introducing myself, my apologies. I had appeared as anonymous all these while not knowing whether my comments will be well received. Indeed I have shared my thoughts on jambu golok, kayu keramat and telor kkorang. I am happy to note that my comments have been appreciated. Thank you.
Al-Manar is indeed a noble institution driving a noble cause. I wish I am there in Terengganu to help out too. Is there a way that you can be reached shd I be in Terengganu?
Anonymous,
There is no need to be apologatic. You can criticise me as much as you want without malice.
I do not mind anonymous comments. I prefer to see an identification sign at the end of comment. You can use NO 1232. Then when I respond I can say Anonymous No 123. There are occasions when there is more thyan one comment then without identification I cannot address properly.
Thank you for your kind thought. You would have noticed that a number of my readers have dropped by my house - getting to know each other. You are very welcome. For a start email me almanar@pd,jaring.my Then I can email back my contact phone and address. Please do.
As Salam Uncle,
Finally I dare myself to drop a line.Lovely orchids you have, pray one day we're able to drop by and see for ourself. Mum will sure love it:)
My Salaam to Aunty
LBTW,
Waalaikum Salaam,
I am sorry I have forgotten you. Did I come to your blog some time ago? Iseem to remember leaving a comment on a blog from Sabah.
Please tell Pakcik your blog or your identity. Email Pakcik on almanar@pd.jaring.my I will be very happy if you do that.
LBTW
Is this Suzainne?
If you are our salaam and love to you, mum and the rest
Uncle Hassan and aunti
Wa'alaikumussalam Uncle,
Not Suzain, but Suzani@Abok, no. 4.Hehehe....pls see e-mail.
Post a Comment